Band assessments will be needed as long as you have your gastric band. An adjustment can be done at your surgeon's office.

During assessments, the surgeon may add or remove saline from the band.

When the surgeon places the band in surgery, it does not have any saline in it. You may feel some restriction from the empty band.

After surgery, your stomach needs time to heal before you have your first assessment. This usually takes four to eight weeks.

Getting an adjustment

It is best to have an empty stomach each time you have a band adjustment. It is recommended you not eat any solid or soft foods for two hours before an adjustment.

• Your surgeon or surgeon's assistant may use one of two methods to locate the port where the saline needs to be injected.
• The surgeon or assistant will press on your abdomen to find the port.
• X-rays will be taken to locate the port.
• The surgeon or assistant will disinfect and may numb your skin. He or she will insert a fine needle through your skin into the port. The needle may feel like a pin prick.
• The saline will enter the port through the needle.
• After the saline has been added, the surgeon or assistant will ask you to drink some water to make sure the band has not been filled too tightly.
• At each adjustment, a small amount of saline will be added until you are able to eat less and lose weight at an appropriate rate without side effects. This is a good fill level.
  • You will know you have found the right fill level when you:
  • are able to lose one to two pounds a week
  • are satisfied with a small portion of food
  • are able to eat whole nutritious foods without reflux, vomiting or night cough.
• After an adjustment, you will advance your diet slowly. Your surgeon or assistant will give you specific instructions.